COVID-19: Serious mismatch in mortality data between official figures, ground reality

As COVID-19 cases surge in highly Covid-affected states, crematoriums and burial grounds have been flooded with bodies piling up every day. People are waiting as long as 6-8 hours for the cremation. However, official death figures tell a different story.

Hyderabad (Telangana): The second wave of coronavirus is wreaking havoc across the country. The figures of new cases and deaths released every 24 hours are creating new records every day. In the last 24 hours, 2,17,353 new cases of coronavirus have been reported from across the country. As many as 1,185 people died. The apparent spike in deaths due to COVID-19 has even resulted in space crunch at crematoriums and burial grounds.

ETV Bharat conducted a reality check and found serious irregularities between the official data and the number of the bodies being cremated on a daily basis.

What makes the government report 'fishy'?

Madhya Pradesh

COVID deaths in Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh has reported 10,166 new cases of corona in the last 24 hours and 53 people have died. The ministry's data for April 12 shows that 47 people died across the state due to the deadly virus that day whereas 95 bodies were cremated in just two districts -- 58 in Bhopal and 37 in Chhindwara. There are another 50 districts where ETV Bharat did not visit. This raises serious suspicion on the figures released by the state health ministry.

Delhi

COVID deaths in Delhi

The corona infection is wreaking havoc in the capital city too. In the last 24 hours, 16,699 new cases of coronavirus were reported in the national capital, while 112 people died. There are a total of 54,309 active cases in Delhi. Government statistics show that 72 people died on April 12. However, 43 bodies were cremated in South Delhi Municipal Corporation area and another 40 bodies in New Delhi Municipal Corporation region.

Chhattisgarh

COVID deaths in Chhattisgarh's Durg

In Chhattisgarh, 15,256 new cases of corona have been reported in the last 24 hours. A total of 105 people have lost their lives. Like Delhi and Madhya Pradesh, the Chhattisgarh government data, too, raises serious doubts over its authenticity.

The speed with which corona infection is spreading its tentacles in Durg city of Chhattisgarh is quite frightening. The state government has imposed restrictions in Durg to curb the spread of the virus. On April 13, 61 bodies were cremated at a single cremation ground in Durg, whereas the government data says only 73 people died across the state that day.

Still confused? ETV Bharat explains:

Arguably, not all those cremated on these two days may have died due to COVID-19, the speed at which the infection is spreading makes the government figures look suspicious.

ETV Bharat has some questions to the governments concerned:

ETV Bharat questions to the concerned government

1. Why is there a difference in death figures?

2. Are the death figures being hidden from the public?

3. Is there a lack of coordination between those managing the cremation grounds and the government data collectors?